Rhyme and Reason
by Moosashi
Summary: Sometimes, when she had her hair down, she would catch him staring and smile softly. Kousei/Nagi


A.N. **I would like to ask those who have not yet completed the anime or manga to _please_ do so before continuing**. While this story does not contain direct spoilers, it does have implied ones, and I would absolutely hate to take away from the impact of _Your Lie in April_ by spoiling things. Trust me, you will be doing yourself a favor. Those who have completed the series, read on and enjoy!

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Nagi Aiza had grown into beautiful women. Thanks to a growth spurt during her freshman year of high school, she managed to put being cute behind her. That was one of the reasons, she concluded, as to how she arrived at her current point in life, which had her running in and out of an apartment, carrying boxes probably too heavy for her.

She'd pass her husband with each trip, but his concentration on the task kept him from sparing even a glance her way. It was something she was used to, though, and something that could be praised at times. Like when he played piano. The way his intense gaze would be magnified by the lenses of his dark-rimmed glasses, boring into the keys of the piano and instilling his very will. Or when those eyes were on her.

Sometimes, when she had her hair down, she would catch him staring and smile softly. That was another reason.

It made up one of her most pleasant memories, the first time she wore her hair down around him. Her junior year, the last she would have been a student of his. A particularly challenging piece of Chopin had her struggling. Honestly, there were just far too many changes in tone in that piece. But he wouldn't let her give up, and their lesson dragged on into the dead of night.

She had excused herself to freshen up, and upon returning with her hair down, caught his stare for the first time. Embarrassing, certainly, and she couldn't have hid her blush no matter how hard she tried, but she also couldn't hide the small smile as she took a seat next to him; and she counted the minutes before he returned his attention to the piano and resumed the lesson.

The box landed harsher than she would have liked, and the clanking from inside only made her more uneasy. A pain in the rear—or more precisely, the fingertips—is what the clear tape was, but when she finally tore the last of it off and opened the box, she sighed in relief. From within she pulled out an intricate drinking glass.

Their wedding had been nothing fancy. She wouldn't have minded if it was, but she understood that he hadn't the tastes for something so superfluous. And though she let everyone know about it, that didn't keep her brother from blowing a gasket at seeing the simple white dress she wore. But her husband had loved it. The third reason was that, without a doubt.

"Easy, easy! Slowly, guys."

The movers were carrying in the piano now, and it appeared the one on the tail was frustrated. As they bumbled around and she showed them where to put it, she thanked whatever force it was that allowed her to keep her laughter inward.

She pulled the sheet from the piano in a single motion, and proceeded to lift the fall board and remove the dust cover from atop the keys. One, two, three notes, and then the procession of a grand ballade's opening; its majesty rang through the room, but she didn't let it finish before changing tunes.

_Love's Joy_.

She caught her husband staring from the doorway, but refused to falter in her playing. After all, that she was a musician, just like him, was the fourth reason—and the one she took the most pride in. Her smile began to grow, but immediately turned to distress when a jarring noise came from the piano.

As she played with the end of a ribbon in her hair, she couldn't help but wonder: would there ever come a time when his forlorn stare wouldn't make her nervous?

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A.N. This is how I see the story turning out had it kept going. As much as I love Tsubaki, I don't see Kousei and her getting together. Regardless of them being childhood friends, they live in entirely separate worlds. We've also already seen that Kousei is attracted to the quick-witted and whimsical type, which Nagi is the closest to being. There are other reasons, of course, but I believe this short piece has already highlighted all of them.

Hope you enjoyed!


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